Fife mental health nurse was in 'unfit state' to work

Andrew Hardie Anderson was already serving a suspension and did not attend the latest hearing of the Nursing and Midwifery Council
Fitness to Practise Committee.

He had previously admitted that on October 30 and/or 31, 2014, he had attended work in an unfit state to undertake his duties as a nurse. He also failed to co-operate with an investigation by the Nursing and Midwifery Council in August 2016 when he refused consent to medical examination or medication testing.

Both, it was deemed, impaired his fitness to practise.

The hearing review report expressed disappointment that Anderson had not provided any evidence of remediation or engaged with the hearing.

"The panel further noted that Mr Anderson has failed to provide any evidence of remediation or insight into why this is required to this panel or the previous two panels," it stated.

"This panel found that Mr Anderson’s level of insight had not developed or broadened beyond the immediate impact on patients. The panel therefore decided that a finding of continuing impairment is necessary on the grounds of public protection.

"The panel had borne in mind that its primary function was to protect patients and the wider public interest which includes maintaining confidence in the nursing profession and upholding proper standards of conduct and performance."

It heard the nurse had provided a written statement where he asked the NMC to consider extending his existing suspension.

"When I submitted the original statement, I was adamant that I no longer desired to return to the profession," he said.

"As it stands at the moment, part of me would seek a return as I did enjoy working with those individuals who were inpatients at the time. 

"What makes me reticent about such a return is again working in an environment with all the attendant ward politics, personality clashes and such, that detract from the satisfaction that comes from the clinical side of the work. 

"I still fully acknowledge that I should not have been working on the days under consideration. I understand that the safety and wellbeing of both inpatients and colleagues was compromised as a result. This was completely unacceptable. 

"I also recognise that it was and is unacceptable for such situations to arise given the trust and confidence that the public ought to have in their health care professionals."

The hearing report said that Anderson's "limited engagement, lack of remediation and continued lack of insight" was "fundamentally incompatible" with being a registered professional.

"It is for these reasons that the panel has concluded that a striking off order is the only sanction that would adequately protect the public and serve the public interest. This includes maintaining confidence in the regulatory process."